Cigar Master Blenders I: Steve Saka

Cigar Master Blenders Series Introduction

Welcome to the first installment of a new series on the Smoke Inn Blog that we’re calling the Cigar Master Blender Series. In each of these pieces, we will profile one of the cigar industry experts known as Master Blenders. If you’re new to the world of cigars or still learning, the Master Blender is the artist behind your favorite premium cigars.

It’s fair to say that the premium cigar revolution of the 1990s never would have happened without the blood, sweat and tears of these guys, so they deserve our gratitude. These are the people who leverage their hard-earned intimate knowledge of different premium tobaccos, curing, preparation, cigar design and handcrafting methods to develop the best cigars in the world. So, sit back, light up and relax as we get into it.

Cigar Master Blender: Steve Saka

Few premium cigar connoisseurs are unfamiliar with the name Steve Saka. The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust founder and frontman is known for making an impression, both with his magnificent cigars and his robust personality. The honorable Mr. Saka is a long-time friend of our shop and a three-time attendee of our The Great Smoke event where he generously lent his time to be interviewed and was a valued participant.

Steve’s cigar life began during a stint in the U.S. Navy back in 1984. He entered the public eye of the cigar enthusiast world in 1996, during the exciting dawn of the premium cigar revolution as Editor-in-Chief of CigarNexus, one of the very first online premium cigar news and commentary sources.

Mr. Saka’s love of the leaf then led him to serve as Executive Consultant at JR Cigars beginning in 2000. Working directly with JR Cigars owner and CEO, Lew Rothman, Steve saw the premium cigar business up close and personal for the first time and gained a new appreciation for all that goes into bringing a cigar from the farm to your humidor. That experience would serve as the springboard that brought him to Drew Estate.

Steve Saka at Drew Estate

Now, if you’ve been in and around the premium cigar world for a minute, there’s a good chance your first encounter with Mr. Saka’s work was when he served first as president in 2005 and then as CEO of Drew Estate beginning in 2012. Steve was responsible for many of the company’s historical masterstrokes during that period. These include the superb Drew Estate Liga Privada blend, among others.

In 2013, Mr. Saka retired from Drew Estate’s leadership and began the current chapter in his storied career. This period marks the genesis of Saka’s relentless pursuit of his Puros Sin Compromiso. Establishing his own brand for the first time, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, in 2015, the legendary Master Blender was able to begin with a blank canvas. Since then, we’ve had the privilege to enjoy the delicious fruits of his tireless labors as Mr. Saka has produced hit after hit.

Dunbarton T&T: Are You Experienced?

Now, if you’re already a fan, we don’t have to tell you that DT&T cigars are a rare treat. If you haven’t yet experienced the indulgence of a Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust cigar yet… well, you have deprived yourself of one of life’s great pleasures and it’s high time to correct that.

Few in the cigar world, even among Master Blenders, are as well-versed in every nuance of tobacco cultivation and premium cigar creation as Steve Saka is and it shows. It is no wonder at all why DT&T cigars are in great demand and tremendous buzz is generated when a new one is about to arrive.

At the time of writing, the cigar stratosphere is crackling with anticipation for the SI Exclusive DT&T Sobremesa Brûlée Wagashi featuring an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper over a Mexican San Andrés binder and Nicaraguan fillers. Of course, pre-orders are already maxed out, but that’s par for the course when it comes to some of the industry’s most desirable cigars.

Alas, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s so, then the experience of smoking a DT&T premium stick speaks volumes. So, what are you waiting for? Stock the humidor up with some of Mr. Saka’s finest while you can!

Smoke Inn’s favorites include:

Sin Compromiso by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

Muestra de Saka by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

Sobremesa Brûlée Blue by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

Mi Querida by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

Red Meat Lovers Series by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust

Smoke Inn is Your Cigar Shop

We hope you enjoyed reading the first installment of our Cigar Master Blenders series as much as we did writing it. We think it’s always cool to learn more about the personalities behind the premium cigars and we figured Steve Saka would be a good place to start.

While we’ve got your attention—Please be sure to check out our new content features if you haven’t already. You don’t want to miss our new Smoke Inn Customer Reviews section and hear from the Smoke Inn Staff in Smoke Inn Speaks. Finally, there’s the new Cigar of the Month Club section which offers a snapshot of the month’s selections. As always, if you’re local or happen to be visiting South Florida, be sure to reward yourself with a visit to one of the country’s best cigar shops in person. We’d love to see you.

Our South Florida Locations:

• Smoke Inn Palm Beach Gardens
• Smoke Inn West Palm Beach
• Smoke Inn Delray Beach
• Smoke Inn Boynton Beach
• Smoke Inn Pompano Beach
• Smoke Inn Tequesta
• Smoke Inn Port St. Lucie
• Smoke Inn Vero Beach